Mahama dissolves National Cathedral Board; orders site handover by October 31

President John Dramani Mahama has directed the immediate dissolution of the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral of Ghana Project, effectively ending the board’s oversight of the stalled multimillion-dollar initiative.

The decision, communicated in a letter dated September 18, 2026, and signed by the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, instructs the trustees to liaise with the project consultant and formally hand over the National Cathedral project site to the Ministry by October 31, 2026.

“His Excellency the President has directed the dissolution of the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral of Ghana Project with immediate effect,” the letter, addressed to the Chairman and members of the Board, stated.

The Ministry said the handover was necessary “to allow government to determine the future of the project.”

The dissolved board was chaired by Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah, former Chairman of the Church of Pentecost. Copies of the letter were sent to the Secretary to the President, the Chief of Staff at Jubilee House, the Deputy Minister and Chief Director of the Ministry, as well as the Executive Director of the National Cathedral of Ghana Secretariat.

On behalf of President Mahama, Mr. Ayariga expressed appreciation to the trustee members for their service. “I wish to thank you for your commitment to promoting the Christian faith in the country,” he said.

A project mired in controversy

The National Cathedral project was announced in March 2018 by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as a personal pledge to God following his 2016 election victory. The proposed $450 million facility was planned for a 3.5-hectare site near Parliament House and was designed to include a 5,000-seat auditorium, chapels, a baptistery, a house of music, a Bible museum, and an art gallery.

The project was initially expected to be commissioned on March 6, 2024, but construction delays and concerns over its financing and procurement processes prevented completion.

The dissolution follows findings by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), which investigated a petition filed by North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa in January 2023 over the procurement process and alleged conflict of interest.

In its report, the Commission found that the $312 million contract awarded to Ribade Company Limited for the construction of the cathedral was contrary to mandatory provisions of the Public Procurement Act. CHRAJ subsequently recommended further investigation and possible prosecution of the Board of Trustees over the procurement breaches. The Commission also reported that more than GH¢225 million had been spent on the project as of May 31, 2022.

Mahama’s firm stance

The dissolution comes barely a week after President Mahama reiterated his opposition to the use of taxpayers’ money to fund the project, arguing that Ghana’s Christian community has the numbers and resources to complete it.

Speaking during a citizens’ engagement in Wa on September 12, 2026, the President disclosed that almost $90 million had already been spent on the National Cathedral and revealed that a forensic audit into the expenditure had been completed and was with the Attorney-General.

“If we all pay a thousand cedis each, we should be able to construct a national cathedral,” President Mahama said, urging Christian groups to take the lead in mobilising resources for the project.

He also raised concerns about the project’s location in central Accra, saying the area already housed several major public institutions, including Parliament, the International Conference Centre, the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, and the National Theatre. He further cited the demolition of 10 judges’ residences, the residence of the Malian ambassador, and the old passport office to clear the site.

President Mahama clarified that his position was not opposition to the construction of a National Cathedral. “I am a Christian myself. I have nothing against having a national cathedral,” he said.

He maintained that the project began as former President Akufo-Addo’s personal pledge rather than an official government policy, distinguishing it from other inherited projects his administration had pledged to continue.

Christian Council weighs in

The President’s comments came after the Christian Council of Ghana announced on September 11 that it had constituted a technical committee to explore ways of reviving the stalled project. The committee has one month to develop a practical funding model and make recommendations on the proposed location and other outstanding issues.

President Mahama said he intended to share a copy of the forensic audit report with the Christian Council to enable it to scrutinise how the funds were spent and determine whether any corrective action was required.

With the board now dissolved and the site set to be handed over by the end of October, attention shifts to the government’s next move on the future of the National Cathedral project.